Cube

The reason which Loki had entered this room ? A very odd and strong magic emanated from it and he had wanted to find out why. Set in a golden alcove across from him and sat atop a white pedestal was a cube of middling size made of emerald and onyx. Said cube glittered in the dust-filled moonlight as he crossed the marble floor to stand before it.

'What is this thing ? I have never heard mention of it nor seen it in any book whether that be mundane or magical.'

Not even Thor in his worst tantrum would be foolish enough to touch a strange artifact. 'Actually, no, no, Thor most definitely would.' Unconsciously, he sighed in exasperation,'Me and my hoping that he will learn. As always, I hope too much.'

He shook his head then cast a few spells to detect if the cube was cursed or dangerous in any way. None of the spells resulted in worrying things, but if Mother had taught him anything it was to distrust magic that one had not cast one's self or seen cast.

Still there was something about the cube's magic that he could not deny. Mere seconds later, he summoned a dagger and jabbed the cube. Immediately, he teleported outside the room to see if it triggered a delayed reaction. With his heart beating in his ears, he waited what felt millennia for something to happen. When nothing did, though he knew it had only been smart to do so, he still felt rather foolish like when he was a boy naively believing Father's tales that Frost Giants lurked under his bed at night.

Briefly, he remembered the nightmares, a pair of sinister, dark-ruby eyes that glowed in near total darkness as ice crept over the room before the Frost Giant would lunge at him, and shuddered. This strange cube could not be a piece of Frost Giant magic or technology since it did not contain any ice. 'Father would not keep it in a travelled wing of the palace were it dangerous. No, then it would be in the Weapons Vault.'

Curious, he strode back into the room, sheathed the dagger on his hip and picked up the cube. Soon as he touched it, bright-emerald magic, just like his fire, burst around him to sweep him away. Blinded by the magic he landed with a thud on what felt like a tiled floor.

Feet away from him, a man exclaimed first softly, "My God, who the Hel are you ?" then a far louder, "Guards !"

His eyes shot open to see an older tan-skinned man in an all-black Midgardian suit with quite short, slightly greying black-hair stood before him. Slowly, he climbed to his feet, his gaze darting over the deep-green/black walls, the long table on the dais and many smaller white-clothed tables that surrounded him.

Two ghosts floated up from the floor to turn into pale-skinned, white-dreadlocked and white-clad men, twins to be precise. Both held a single straight razor against his neck, the sound of guns readying made him laugh. "Are these men supposed to be for me ? Then I must say that I am quite offended."

The black and grey-haired man raised an eyebrow, "Offend ? Why ever do you assume that I am insulting you with the quantity of my men ?"

He teleported to stand before the man then proudly stated, "I am Prince Loki of Asgard, son of Odin."

'They need not know that I am only second-born.'

"Please accept my most humble apologies, Your Highness. I am the Merovingian and I am, of course…at your service." The Merovingian bowed, took his hand and kissed his knuckles. Quite well hidden lust shone briefly in the Merovingian's grey-eyes.

Loki raised his right hand to examine his nails and replied, "Very good, I shall accept both. Know that I need of information about this place." 'Humph, of course, I should chip a nail because of this strangeness, now I have to file it.'

The Merovingian nodded then waved his men to their original posts. "You will merely need to specify. In the mean time, would you like something to drink, to eat, Prince Loki ?"

As he answered, "I have no preference, so whatever you think that I should try I shall be happy with." he was gestured to sit on the dais's center chair. His gaze was drawn aside as one of the twins snickered.

After having a quiet conversation with a servant the Merovingian sat down across from him wondering, "What exactly is it you wish to know ?"

With a glance about as strange bits of bright emerald and onyx flashed before his eyes and disappeared, he asked, "What is this place ? I have never known such a place before."

Crystal shone as the Merovingian took up a glass of pale wine, gave a wordless toast to him then sipped. "The Matrix is quite unique, yes. Asgard does not have anything like this, no ?"

"Considering that my father would surely die should he find out about this, ah, Matrix I should hope not."'Father is getting too old to deal with so many unexpected surprises. Hmm, is the Matrix some forgotten piece of Asgardian lore from Great-grandfather's time ? What was it used for ? If it is magical, Mother or Father must know something of it. When I return…somehow I shall have to ask.'

Before anything else could be said a plate was set before him, resting on the plate was a piece of dark-brown cake. Did the Merovingian think him an idiot ? Surely, the man must have. Luckily, for him some simple mental spells took care of the unwanted side effects. He suppressed his smirk as he took the fork, cut off a small piece and raised it to his lips.

Oh, how utterly lovely it was to see the Merovingian's anticipation heighten when the cake landed on his tongue. It was good, soft with a nice amount of richness, not that many people had time to figure out that out. No, most people only got seconds before the combined technology and spell inside the cake, which greatly expedited one's pleasure, took over and forced orgasm. Thus, it was rather hilarious to see the man's struggle for composure as the spell ricocheted onto its caster.

The Merovingian shuddered then said, "I have to commend Your Highness, no one else has figured out how to do as you just did."

"Well, I am not called the God of Mischief for my astounding bluntness, Merovingian."

Something, a piece of cloth rustled before Father's hand landed on his shoulder. "Loki, it is time that you were leaving here."

Loki nodded slightly, "Of course, Father." Then he stood and with an utterly innocent look at the Merovingian asked, "Might it I take the piece with me ? It is rather good, after all."

A subtly fearful look crossed the Merovingian's face, "Yes, yes, of course. Good-bye, Loki."

He picked up the plate and did some more mental spell work before he replied, "Good-bye, Merovingian and do have a pleasurable evening for me won't you ?"

'Thor would say that I am having far too much fun at his expense. Well, partially I am glad that you are not here, Brother.' Swiftly, he turned to follow after Father heading toward the middle of the room.

Father's golden armour glowed in the recessed artificial light, "Loki, what are you doing ?"

Cheek had him responding, "Merely holding a plate, Father."

Father's blue-eye would be closing in exasperation, "You know that is not what I meant. What are you planning ?"

They stopped in the middle of the room and he whispered, "Merely because I am mischievous does not mean that I must always have a jest hidden up my sleeve. I assure you that I am not planning anything at the moment."

More green magic flashed and they appeared in the Matrix cube's room.

With a sigh Father asked, "You are planning something for Thor are you ?"

'Me ? I am not going to do anything to him.'

It was hard not to roll his eyes, "I am not doing anything to harm him. Whereas that Matrix cube most definitely could have hurt me ! What is it doing here, what is it for ?"

Moonlight gleamed off shoulder-length white-hair as Father ran a hand through it. "That door is not meant to open for anyone, at all ! You could have…one of those things could have killed you, Loki." Father turned to him worry and fear having etched themselves on the wizened face. "What should I have done without my little Key ? If you had died, I would have had none but myself to blame for leaving it in so accessible an area. The Matrix is a very dangerous place for…some people as once it was used for entrapment before and after we wrested it from some mechanical life forms." Remorse crossed Father's face, "I am sorry that I put you such danger without any attempt at forewarning. As of now, I will ensure it is put somewhere that no one else will find it. You will not go looking for it again is that understood my son ?"

Elated that Father had worried of him, surprised at Father's melancholic use of his oldest and rarest nickname he dismissed the questions that rose in his mind. Briefly, he smiled then nodded, "Yes, Father I swear that I will not touch it again. I am going to see if Thor is awake."

When he exited the room Father was taking hold of the Matrix cube and muttering something of mistakes. Since some of the Einherjar he passed gave him looks of wariness as he drifted through the palace toward Thor's chambers with the plate he supposed that his elation must have shown through. His brother's door was, of course, unlocked and he glided inside to see the tanned blonde sprawled atop the sapphire-blanketed bed.

The door slid closed easily and without a sound, he crossed the room to put the cake on the bedside table. If his teleporting were not so hard on both his magic and energy his life would be much easier. Of all his magical abilities only shape shifting was not so hard on him as he was born to it. Father said that he had tried to please everyone by shape shifting into them when he was incredibly young; that many times Father and Mother had not been able to tell who was truly Thor or him so often had he shifted them to each other and back.

He crawled onto the bed to lie beside Thor then reaching out to push his brother's shoulder. For a moment, Thor's eyes fluttered open only to close again, so he was somewhat awake.

"Thor, Thor, wake up."'This is going to take forever isn't it ?' A grunt left his lips as he shoved far harder still, yet the effort barely budged his brother.

Sleepily, Thor slurred, "Loki, you left." before the giant hard-muscled arms wrapped tightly around his shoulder blades.

Half-crushed against Thor's chest his breath rushed out, "Uff, yes. I wanted to find out something that had annoyed me earlier. While I did find and solve that, I also found a thing you might like."

Thor's lips pressed against his hair, his cheek then moving to kiss him deeply. "Mmm, and what is this thing, brother ?"

Now dizzy alongside his breathlessness, he murmured, "A bit of cake…it is rather good."

Thor rolled onto his back that wavy hair splaying over the pillow. "Cake is not half so good as you."

If he were not still re-orienting himself he would have shook his head, instead he slid his hands into Thor's hair. Unconsciously, he thrust against Thor as calloused fingers wriggled under his too tight waistband to tease him before they moved up to stroke his trembling abdominals. A moan of, "Mmm, Thor…get on with it." left his lips.

Of course, Thor had to say, "I thought you didn't like satisfaction."

Many curses made their way out of him followed by, "Forget I said that and give it to me, damn it."

Obviously, Thor wanted to play games, "What about that cake ?"

'Oh, you do not want to play games with me, brother, now it is your turn to be interrupted. Uff, sweet relief will come…soon.'

Quite deliberately, he rubbed their hips together as he leaned over to pick up the plate and fork. Yet again, he cut off a piece this time lifting it only to stop with an overly enthused moan as it touched his lips. Just to make it all the more frustrating, he fluttered his eyelashes and asked. "You mean this cake ? This rich, sweet, smooth, and oh so beautiful cake, Thor ?"

Underneath him, Thor took deeper breaths while the dark-blue clad hips had started rocking. Light-blue eyes were darkened, half-lidded and Thor groaned. "Loki…please."

As he pressed his hips down to still Thor's he started the illusion. He laughed before stating, "It's mine. Unless, of course, you surrender." Simultaneously, his illusionary self leaned over and took the bite. Both self and illusion looked briefly down at Thor in amusement. Shortly, he lowered the fork then grinning he let the illusion kiss him since it would bother his brother terribly.

When he broke the illusion he asked, "Are we…done playing games ?"

Soft, barely audible, moans left Thor's lips before his brother nodded vigorously.

'Since he is so near anyway.' Happily, he moved the fork so that Thor could take the bite then pulled it away cleanly.

A few seconds later after the tanned throat had worked Thor blinked as the heat rushed in and with a shudder the blond came.

He teleported the plate onto the table or tried to since the plate smashed on the floor when Thor stroked him. Everything that was not the pleasure of Thor's hand on him disappeared until pent-up pleasure overflowed leaving him to collapse utterly spent. Drowsy, he heard himself mutter a faint, "I love you."

Lips pressed lightly against his, warm arms wrapped around his lower back and he rested his head on Thor's shoulder. Comfortable was a good summation of his current state. Some dulled half-thoughts drifted through his mind before he floated into sleep. 'That trip into the Matrix cube was fun…humpf, I still need to file that nail.'